At Funko HQ, you can build your own Pop! figures and live your fandom dreams

By Jean-Sun Ahn

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December 11, 2017 09:49 AM EST

Funko's Pop! figures are a runaway hit. But for those of you less familiar with the company, here's a quick summary: Funko started in 1998, and they create merchandise and collectibles for pop culture, television, movies, video games, and just about anything else you might want to express love and fandom for.

There's only one official brick-and-mortar store in the world, and it's located just outside of Seattle, in Everett, Washington.

"It's a very cute figure, not an action figure like you would see a lot of companies make, which I think is what makes it more accessible to a lot of people because it's more fun and almost softer in a way,"

Mark Robben, Marketing Director of Funko

Funko's flagship product is called Pop! It's a vinyl figure with a very specific look that was inspired a little by Japanese Anime. Funko's Marketing Director Mark Robben explained that Funko licenses everything from DC Comics to "Harry Potter" to "Star Wars" to other television shows like "Game of Thrones," "Stranger Things" and "Supernatural."

In addition to the Funko Pop! dolls, they have licensed merchandise such as home goods, lights and fashion accessories as well.

You can also hand make a custom Pop! figure at the store. As part of the Pop! Factory, you can select the head and body style, create monsters and different versions of their mascot they call Freddy with a plethora of accessories such as hats, crowns and weapons. It costs $15 and you walk away with a collectible that no one else in the world has.

"We started a feature on our website called Pop! Yourself several months back which allows people to create a digital avatar version of themselves so they can create themselves in the Pop! vinyl style and we decided we wanted to build something similar in our store," Robben said.

Since launching the Pop! line in 2010 at San Diego's Comic Con, it's become a pop culture phenomenon. "It's become something that I'm not sure we ever really expected it to be but we have such amazing fans all around the world and great retail partners that it has just really blown up and become a pop culture force," Robben said.